Mitosis and Cell Division

Nucleus

organelle that controls all the activities of a cell and contains hereditary material made of proteins and DNA

Mitosis

cell process in which the nucleus divides to form two nuclei identical to each other, and identical to the original nucleus, in series of steps, (prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase).

Chromosome

Structure in a cell’s nucleus that contains hereditary material.

Assexual Reproduction

A type of production- fission, budding, and regeneration- in which a new organism is produced from one organism and has DNA identical to the parent organism.

Organism

any living thing; uses energy, is made of cells, reproduces, responds, grows, and develops

Sexual Reproduction

A type of reproduction in which two sex cells, usually an egg and sperm, join to form zygote, which will develop into a new organism with a unique identity.

Sperm

haploid sex cell formed in the male reproductive cells.

Egg

haploid sex cell formed int the female reproductive system.

Fertilization

in sexual reproduction, the joining of a sperm and egg.

Zygote

new diploid cell formed when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg: will divide by mitosis and develop into a new organism

Diploid

cell whose similar chromosomes occur in pairs

Haploid

cell that has half the number of chromosomes as body cell

Meiosis

reproductive process that produces four haploid sex cells from one diploid cell and ensures offspring will have the same number if chromosomes as the parent organisms

Hereditary

the passing of traits from parents to offspring

DNA

the deoxyribonucleic acid; the generic material of all organisms; made up of two twisted strands of sugar-phosphate molecules and nitrogen bases.

Gene

section of DNA on a chromosome that contains instructions for making specific proteins.

RNA

ribonucleic acid; a type of nuclei acid that carries codes for making proteins from the nucleus to tge ribosomes

Mutation

any permanent change in a gene or chromosome of a cell; may be beneficial, harmful, or have little effect on an organism